Southern Craft BBQ

Came here on a Monday night and was seated right away. Placed had a decent amount of people for a Monday. Service was gold all throughout. True southern hospitality. Came for the southern comforts and was not disappointed. Fried chicken was crispy and huge, the pork was moist, the greens seasoned great. Unfortunately I had to leave the toast on the plate. It was a lot of food!

Place is real good. Walked in on a Friday night, no reservation, was exactly what we were looking for. Fast and friendly service, really good food. Had the ribs with pepperjack grits and sweet potato soufflé on the side and fried green tomatoes as an app. All were great, loved the pork belly (not pictured) too. Great southern fare, highly recommend

My wife and I had dinner and went back the next day for brunch. The service both times was spot on. Food is great, portions and quality. Best candied bacon I've had and I'm pretty picky on my candied bacon. Everything was excellent! Location right downtown! Definitely be our got to when in town!

I travel the US. Tasting bbq. And I didn't expect much from a commercial dining experience, but the meats were outstanding!. Not some of them but ALL of them. The brisket was nothing short of Texas,the chicken had Alabama all over it, and of course, all the pork was good ole Tennessee. Now, I was not impressed with the mac n cheese at all, and the red skin potato salad was just ok. But the fried green tomatoes and the cowboy cornbread were terrific. I didn't get dessert because I was just too stuffed! But I will be making another trip.

******Everything on the Butchers Block was solid. We went at it with 3 people and could not finish it. Good amount of food to take home. The video is the before and the last picture was when we were tapped out. I will say it did taste very good the following day also. So we'll worth the money spent on it. 😍 Old fashion tasted solid too.

Appetizer tater tot pork things with queso, the tots were not cooked, super soft and cold, they should call it soggy bottom queso with pork shreds. Seated super fast, drinks came out the waitress was over attentive, offered drinks to only those that were empty, no silly by the time you get back I will need a refill, too! Got the trinity with burnt ends, brisket, smoke sausage. Burnt ends had a sauce on it I could have swore it had liquid smoke. Sausage was ok, the brisket was slightly better than ok. I truly hope they do not use liquid smoke, it is unhealthy and made with compounds with PAH's. Overall I do not think we will go back. Too much in the air whether they use liquid smoke. We ate for lunch and about 7pm I started feeling sick, hubby was sick later that night. Overall stomachs messed up and gurgly.

Stopped in for some carry out supper. Had to find someone to ring me out. Got the Firebird Sandwich with beans and a Pulled Pork tray with Mac n Cheese. All the food was delicious. Ppl were very nice to help get you what you needed. Parking is limited, but becomes more available after 5pm once the other businesses close in the center. Will return to try some other menu items.

We came May 3, 2025 with a party of eight. We ordered the Butcher’s Block, and it was fantastic. We’re regular patrons at Southern Craft, but this experience exceeded their usual wonderful food. Everything was perfect. Our waitress was extremely helpful, sweet, and went above and beyond so she could make our visit great. I think her name was either Tonya, or Haylie.

We were in JC visiting family. Stopped by for a quick lunch. Nice atmosphere in downtown area. Parking was convenient. We were greeted and seated promptly. Menu looked good with a variety of choices. We opted to split the two meat platter. We chose pulled pork and pork belly with steamed veggies and tater tots. Pulled pork was moist and warm but slightly bland. I like sauce so I added their traditional BBQ sauce which was very mild and nice. The pork belly had been smoked, sliced and then grilled. Great flavor, juicy and crisp on the outside. It needed no sauce. Excellent! Veggies were steamed but still crisp. Tator tots were hot, crisp and had a bit of kick to them. Really enjoyed them. Overall a nice meal and pleasant experience. I would go back for the pork belly alone!

Let's be honest. Most BBQ joints exist somewhere on a spectrum between "pretty good" and "Jesus take the wheel." But Southern Craft BBQ in Bristol, Tennessee? It doesn't care about your spectrum. It grabs you by the nostrils with a smoky handshake and drags you straight into a pork-laden fever dream. This isn't pretentious pitmaster cosplay or some Brooklynite's idea of "elevated" brisket. No, Southern Craft is the real deal. It's as if your uncle who never left the smoker unattended won the lottery and decided to open a place with legit cocktails and zero bullsh*t. The ribs? Sweet mother of meat science. They fall apart like a bad alibi. Bark like a preacher on Sunday. Sauce optional--but they've got it, and it's righteous. The brisket is unapologetically fatty in all the right places, like it knows you've been lied to by sad, dry slices elsewhere. And the sides--collards, mac, beans with more attitude than your cousin at Thanksgiving--they're not just filler. They're the backup singers that make the lead act shine. But here's the trick: it all feels familiar. Like something you've had before, but better. Nostalgia with a better soundtrack. You're not just eating BBQ, you're eating your childhood if your childhood had a better smoke ring. Southern Craft isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. It just straps that wheel to a fire-belching trailer and drives it straight through your flavor receptors. It's local without pandering. Inventive without the lab coat. It's the kind of place where you finish your plate, sip your bourbon, and seriously consider moving to Bristol just to live within arm's reach of another pulled pork sandwich. You want authentic? You want flavor that punches you in the mouth and then hugs you afterward? Pull up a chair. Southern Craft is waiting.

We stopped in on a Sat evening at around 6 o'clock. I made a reservation online. We had a party of 4. Our waiter was friendly and helpful. I liked the vibe of the restaurant. The fried pickle App with chipotle ranch was very good. I had the fried chicken sandwich with a side of coleslaw. It was a BIG piece of chicken on a pretzel roll. I wish it was spicier but it was a good meal for me. Hubby had the fried catfish. He said it was heavy on the breading. I was come again and try the traditional pork BBQ.

Awesome service & food! Really impressed w/ Southern Craft. The fried pickles were some of the best we've had and the fried chicken sandwich + brisket sandwich were both so good - we had so many leftovers bc it was so much food. Our waiter was really friendly and helpful - gave us suggestions & chatted with us about our trip. 5/5!

For lunch we stopped by Southern Craft BBQ, (@socrajc) a regional chain with four locations in NE TN and SW VA. I got the Killer B sandwich. It's smoked brisket on a toasted bun topped with Stoney Creek BBQ sauce, blackberry jam, black pepper bacon. It was a tasty sandwich, but the brisket was dry. Thankfully there were squeeze bottles of BBQ sauce on the table. The blackberry jam was a nice sweet contrast to the brisket and pepper bacon, but it wasn't quite enough to overcome the tough brisket. Mah Wife got the North Carolina Catfish. It's a whole deep-fried catfish served with two sides. She chose the collard greens and sweet potato soufflé. It was a good fish and I enjoyed the collards. The restaurant itself was comfy and they do have their own in-house brewery, if you're into craft beers. Overall, a decent visit, but I'd probably try some other meats and skip the brisket.

Very good got the brisket. The guy who waited on us was amazing and funny. Very nice designed place.

Mouth watering dishes!! Loved their meat plates as a shareable meal. Everything was delicious including their simple mac and cheese. There was a large gathering that was finishing up and it looked like a great place to feed a large group. Wish I had a few more for the Butchers Block.

tried this place multiple times. Went for ribs and brisket the last time and they were out of the two things I wanted so got some chicken she described as "Nashville hot chicken" and it was nowhere near and just plain gross. Even my pulled pork was dry. Only thing this place has going is the atmosphere. Service was mediocre. Won't be back. Ever.

Southern Craft in Johnson City is a winner in my book! The atmosphere is a chill, everything you'd expect in an up-scale southern barbecue joint. My favorite part of the vibe was the great classic 90's/2000's country music - I found myself singing every song! I had a 2 meat plate with pulled pork and brisket burnt ends, which were awesome! Their North Carolina (Lexington) style sauce was very good, as was the Memphis style sauce. The friends I went with said the brisket and burnt end nachos were also excellent. I got the coleslaw and a side salad with blue cheese dressing since I'm gluten free (but not celiac or allergic to wheat). Note: the potato salad is not gluten free! Not a great place if you are Celiac/wheat/gluten allergic simply because your non-meat options are limited. They also note that they cannot guarantee no cross-contamination. For instance even the two meat plate comes with a piece of bread (see picture) - not a problem for me, but could be for those more sensitive. Shout out to Maddy, who provided excellent service. She was more than willing to ask about gluten free options. She recommended the house dry rub wings with Buffalo sauce to dip them in for a little more heat. My friends said they were good! Not the best barbecue I've ever had, but it was very good! I would definitely go back.

Best birthday lunch! We got pulled pork and ribs with sweet potato soufflé and Mac and cheese. Sweet potato soufflé was LIFE CHANGING! Fried green tomatoes to start were so good.

Can't say enough about this place! The food, service, and atmosphere were all spot on! I was reluctant to get the catfish since I was at a barbecue place but so glad I got it. The catfish was perfection! All of the vegetables were delicious and like homemade but even better. Kids menu was also awesome, and the kids begged to go back again soon!

Excellent barbecue and great service. We had the meat platter which came with 4 sides. We had fried okra, Mac and cheese, potato salad and mixed veggies. I would have preferred the sides to be larger compared to the amount of meat. Everything was tasty. We had fried pickles as an appetizer. They were ok - tasted like they used sweet pickles which I didn't prefer. A nice setting.

Best fried catfish. Brisket is delicious. The blackberry cobbler is baked to order. Overall YUM

I went here last Saturday with my wife, her son and fiancé. I had the burnt ends and sausage. The food was okay but nothing special enough for me to want to come here in a regular basis. The macaroni and cheese was bland. The service was good and the food came out fast. The total before tip for the four of us was about $85.

I finally found some great barbeque in Tennessee. Southern Craft knows what they are doing here. I ordered the sliced brisket (moist), and it was perfect. Thick slices of perfectly cooked brisket was awesome. I had the beans to go with it and they too were great. Service was attentive, atmosphere was colorful and the dining room was very clean. All of my guest enjoyed everything they ordered. Keep up the good work Southern Craft.

Great evening with large group (20+) and wonderful service. Didn't see a single meal come out with anything wrong and food was as tasty as ever. Plenty of choices of meats to choose from and for the veggie lovers the sides are great or go for the smoked mushroom and eggplant ragu. Slices smoked turkey is juicy with good smoked flavor and don't forget the appetizers like fried pickles or the jalapeño cheese dip.

I came here with a friend for a late lunch. The place has a nice ambience, but the food is terrible. I ordered a veggie dish, and the eggplant was half cooked and soaked with BBQ sauce that was really sweet. I ended up just eating the sides... Grits were pretty good. I was impressed by the service, hence, the 3 stars. Our waiter was fantastic refilling the waters quickly and very attentive to our needs. Overall, I don't think I would come back for food, but might stop by for a drink.

Great food, family and I selected 4 different menu items. I got the half chicken with sides. It was really good. In fact, it was so good, I ate the crispy smoked skin and I never do that! Recommend a glass of their Tennessee Crafted Ale. Will drop in again on my next visit from Seattle.

It makes me happy that a restaurant that serves barbecue has vegetarian options. I love all the sides they have and the Jack fruit bbq is so good!

I got the half ribs and a southern lady cocktail. The cocktail was really great and the meat was cooked just on point. I loved the barbecue and it was so tender and juicy. Our server was extremely nice. She also offered me to change my drink because I didn't like my first beer. It was busy when we went, but we got our seats right away. The meat had great flavor and it was well smoked, my other friends got chicken wings and some size sides and they all enjoyed it. I recommend trying their fried okra. It has great seasoning and has a great crunch to the ribs or the meat!

The hostess let me know that there was 45 minutes wait for a table (busy Sunday night!) but thankfully, there were a few open seats at the bar. I got the one in the corner and managed to crank out a Yelp review while resting after 250 miles of driving this afternoon. Warm service from the bartender and so I decided that a beer and an appetizer would be dinner tonight. I chose the kolsch and the fried pickles. The beer was cold and crisp. Delicious. The pickles came out hot and an unusual configuration. I've had spear and rings before but these pickles were thin like shaved and in a tasty spicy batter. Served with a big bowl of a spicy and tangy dip, it was pretty darned awesome. And cheap! I landed in time for the beer special so my meal was under $15. A bargain! There is a large parking lot adjacent and I had no trouble finding space for the Sprinter van. [Review 20337 overall - 474 in Tennessee - 1315 of 2023.]

I have no reasons not to give it 5 stars. The ambience is great. The food is tasty. The service was quick. I recommend the wings. They do run out of certain items so go early if you're particular. The menu prices have gone up a few times recently.

On my initial visit, shortly after Southern opened, I was unimpressed as my BBQ sandwich was served with sauce already applied to the pulled pork. As someone who enjoyed amazing bbq, on the regular, in Memphis for 6 years, I found that to be very odd. Another popular spot for BBQ, in the TRI, actually thin slices their pulled pork, so you'll definitely encounter some strange bbq offerings in this region of the country. I stopped in today to give this place another chance and was told they're already out of ribs at 12:45pm! They opened less than 2 hours ago, and the restaurant isn't close to full. Ergo, if you're planning to order ribs, I recommend showing up as soon as they open the doors. Since ribs weren't available, I opted for the house dry rub wings, and they were exceptional! SC also houses Great Oak Brewing, but I've never been impressed by their brews. Unlike their sister establishment, Label, which apart from one or two lame, light lagers only has Great Oak Brews on tap, Southern has a decent selection of beer on offer to satiate your thirst for hops. With the growing popularity of premium NAs, I'm hopeful they'll soon carry something from Athletic Brewing, Best Day Brewing, and their ilk. On the few occasions I've visited thus far, the service has been very good with attentive, friendly, and efficient servers. The ambiance is also nice and on the bougie side for a BBQ joint with nice decor and lighting rigged for romance. I'll check this place a few more times, in the coming months, and update my review accordingly if warranted.

The food was great (we ordered the Hog & Home fries, followed by the TN Trinity, then finished with banana pudding). The service was fast and courteous, with our waiter making great recommendations (such as the Wild Berry Fizz). The restaurant is located inside an older industrial building, that's been repurposed into a restaurant/brewery (it's beautiful) We'll definitely be back!

Reasonably good bbq! Great atmosphere. Pretty great service for around here. Definitely kind of pricey drinks.

Amazing wings! Seating was prompt. Atmosphere was fun. Drinks were good and staff was friendly.

I love their brisket.... But I will never return. It simply feels too overpriced for what it is. The first couple of times I ate here I devoured everything on my brisket sampler plate not sure the exact name. However the last time I went things were off and my wife and I just felt it was way overpriced and simply don't want to return. The ambiance is fine and the service was great

My wife and I were in the area and wanted bbq. We both had the smoked turkey sandwich. It comes on Texas toast with bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and honey mustard. It is a big sandwich and so delicious! And comes with fries or tots. There are a few bbq sauces on the table if you want to add that to your food. Our server, Nolan was nice and attentive. The decor is nice too. We will be back!

Fantastic BBQ and solid selection of craft beers and cocktails. The servers were friendly and attentive and created a communal atmosphere. The interior was nicely designed and is a solid location for a small group or a larger gathering. When we went they had a $6 special on martinis on Friday and they were pretty decent. They also do happy hour ($6 drafts and bourbon until 7pm) and brunch (Sunday 11-3) but we didn't try it yet. The portions are large and filling but you can't go wrong with any of them. We split the cornbread appetizer and the "Tennessee Trinity" plate (3 meats and 3 sides). Plenty of food for two people. Definitely add Southern Craft to your list.

Loved the great use of an old building ! Service was good and food was great! We traveled 15 min in the wrong direction of our trip just to try it & we weren't disappointed !

Was traveling through the area and found this on yelp. Really good bbq, good service, great atmosphere.

Truly love this place. Great food and drinks, you can't go wrong! Get a sampler platter. The bbq is to die 4. Great service also!!!!

The food was delicious, our server Darling was so attentive and hospitable. Would highly recommend, best BBQ hands down!

Delicious food! I was in the area for a wedding and decided to stop here for lunch. Good portions and lots to try on the menu. The staff were very friendly and we were able to grab a seat and eat fairly quickly! I thought the place was very cute and it definitely was a good lunch!

We arrived at the restaurant and were seated right away. We were greeted by our server Alexzius. She immediately took our drink order. When she brought our drinks she took our appetizer order of cornbread and fried green tomatoes. She checked on us a few times to see if we were ready to order dinner. It took us awhile to decide. We got three meat combos, two meat combo and four sides. All of the meats were flavorful, no sauce needed. The sausage was spicy but had good flavor. We tried many sides between us. Appetizer: fries green tomatoes were good accompaniments include dip, relish and pimento cheese. Skillet cornbread, unlike any I have tasted, delicious. The sides that were good just not great. The mac and cheese was like normal Mac and cheese and the coleslaw seemed to lack vinegar and pepper. Now onto the good stuff. Pork bellies and collard greens were delicious, so much flavor. Grilled vegetables had a lot of seasoning. Fried okra was cooked perfectly and had a good batter on them. Red potato salad dressing was a little thin but tasted good. Pepper jack grits were fabulous they were creamy and savory. The sweet potato soufflé was amazing. It was slightly nutty and sweet like a dessert. This is from someone who typically doesn't like sweet potatoes. Dessert: blackberry cobbler omg to die for. It had the perfect blend of blackberry, ice cream and biscuit crust. The service was great. The food was great. The experience was great. Ambience was beautiful. Being able to see the vats of beer was an interesting piece to the whole experience.

Southern Craft was fantastic! I was looking for a BBQ place for lunch on downtown Johnson City this place checked all the boxes, all the meats, wood fire, great ambiance, friendly staff, and southern hospitality! I was immediately impressed with the bourbon selected when I pulled up a seat at the bar! The bartender explained that they had a great relationship with Buffalo Trace and got a fantastic selection of hard to get bourbons and barrel select options. I ordered burnt ends with two classic southern sides - pork belly collard greens and pepper jack grits. The burnt ends had to rely a bit too much on the amazing sauces available at each table but the sides were incredible! The most beautiful thing about the experience was the friendliness of the staff, everyone was so kind and engaging and eager to help. I'd go back here in a heartbeat!

Great place for BBQ and catching a game. I had pulled pork sandwich and my wife had the pulled pork platter with tots. Topped it off with a well made Moscow Mule and Kentucky Derby. A Vols win was a perfect ending to dinner.

The Staff was amazing and so quick to get you want you wanted. The food so good and there was so much I took it home and had dinner again the next day. The environment was so chill and welcoming everyone was just so nice!

Experience the ultimate delight of sliced brisket on earth! The sweet potato soufflé, corn bread, and cucumber salad will take your taste buds on an unforgettable journey. The BBQ beans' smoky flavor adds a unique twist!

This place came highly rated on Yelp. So I thought I had to try. The ribs was so flavorful and the meat was falling off the bone. The burnt ends was a grate hit as well. The service was wonderful and friendly.

It's a great location, and the decor is wonderful- this old building suits it well! The waitstaff were friendly, helpful, and quick - thank you, Charlie! I had the smoked pork belly- fabulous! I'm a bit sensitive to salt, so I took some of the black off, but my husband loved it! The brisket is FABULOUS! And the smoked wings were good! MAC n cheese and tots were good! The fried green tomatoes were not good sadly- seemed like from a box with little flavor and chewy. One place they could improve, but everything else was just perfect!

Had a great time at Southern Craft. The brisket and gravy was amazing, and much more food than I expected. The server was attentive, patient, and polite. The atmosphere was perfect and the work that was done to make the building what it is today was right on. Beer was cold and sports on TV was fun to watch. Will definitely be going back again when I'm in Johnson City.

Service was good. Food was good. Brisket Tacos She did forget the appetizer but it was ok. Inside was nice and clean. Good place. Will go again next t time in JC

The food was unbelievably delicious. The server was constantly checking on us making sure that we had drinks. The ambiance was perfect for dinner time. You have to try the brisket nachos.

Enjoyed the BBQ experience here. I got the brisket and it was very tasty. I did think the price vs. how much you get was a little high, especially compared to some of the other spots in town. That said, it was still good and consistent (we've been a few times over the years).

This place is so good! The decor is nice and makes for a really fun atmosphere. We shared the Tennessee Trinity with brisket, baby back ribs, and burnt ends. We chose the pepper jack grits, cucumber and tomato salad, and red potato salad. It was all outstanding. Our server was friendly and efficient. If we find ourselves in Johnson City again, we'll go back!

We celebrated a birthday there and ordered a smorgasbord of meats. The meat was fork tender and very tasty! There was a good selection to please anyone's palate. I plan on visiting this place again for a wonderful meal!

I have never had a bad time here. All of the sides are delicious, the brisket is amazing, location and service are wonderful.

We had the dry rub chicken wings. Try them if you like wings. YUM! The peach cobbler cider and burnt ends nachos are awesome too. We had good service. I will return!